Benet soars past Waubonsie Valley
Red Wings fly away with 8-0 win; green Warriors seek chemistry
By Steve Nemeth
AURORA -- Scoring in the first minute allowed Benet’s confidence to soar.
When the Redwings closed the half with a trio of goals their belief in a victory over Waubonsie Valley was virtually sky-high.
Unfortunately for the host Warriors, the fight was already long gone before the second half was shortened by four minutes in what became a surprising 8-0 rout.
What’s more surprising is that in a rivalry that once featured narrow margins has become a feast or famine scenario in recent years. Just last year the Warriors were 3-0 victors while 2016 saw Benet cruise to a 4-0 triumph after a comfortable 2-0 shutout in 2015. Back in 2014, Waubonsie slipped by in a 2-1 tussle as a follow-up to a 3-2 win in 2013 and a scoreless draw in 2012.
“Not too sure the outcome is really indicative of either team,” Benet coach Sean Wesley said. “Last year we got beat up pretty well, and the momentum went the wrong on us in a hurry. That was part of fairly horrendous start for us.”
Indeed Benet went from a 1-6-1 start to a share of the East Suburban Catholic Conference crown before a 2-1 Class 3A regional loss ended the year at 9-7-2. Most observers would believe the Redwings -- noted in the special mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer preseason poll -- looked like a team picking up right where it left off. And it was one with a chip on its shoulder.
“After weeks of preparation you’re never sure if come the actual opener, how aggressive you will be,” Wesley added. “I thought we dominated on 50-50 balls and created dangerous opportunities in the final third of the field. The question now is can we continue those traits.”
The answers needed for Waubonsie Valley may take longer as the Warriors face a rebuilding mode after an 11-member senior class from 2017 departed leaving nine starting slots vacant. Junior Nick Glorioso and goalie Vince Rullo were the only consistent starters returning.
Although this year’s 26-man roster lists nine seniors, a bulk of the other two-thirds are relative newcomers regardless where they fall among 11 juniors, five sophomores and one freshman.
“Tryouts two weeks ago were the first time many of the guys first played with several teammates, so clearly we’ve first got to find a good rhythm,” Waubonsie coach Jose Garcia admitted. “There were times things just didn’t mesh, and I get how frustrating that can be. But we can start by eliminating any bickering between ourselves.”
Who, what, where and why things broke down so quickly for the Warriors in yielding a quick goal was compounded throughout the match as Benet loaded the statistical categories. By the end of the match, everything pointed the Redwings’ way: 28-2 in overall attempts, 18-1 in shots on goal, 9-2 for corner kicks, and even 6-2 for offside whistles.
The ease or at least speed with which Benet took the lead surprised even Chris Mankowski.
“It all happened so quickly that at first I couldn’t believe, but the second I saw my teammates’ reactions it was the best feeling,” Mankowski said in regard to his 13-yard shot from the right half of the box. Co-captain Nick Renfro earned the assist for the goal that came just 54 seconds into the match.
“It was a great pass, and I noticed the keeper back-pedaling a little so I just put it low and to his left,” Mankowski added in recalling his first game-winning goal. Both of his goals during 2017 came in one-sided ESCC blowouts.
“We wanted to dominate on possession in order not to give them any chance to gain any confidence,” Mankowski noted.
Waubonsie Valley starting keeper Vince Rullo came back with several solid mid-air catches on either Redwings throw-ins or crosses as he was kept busy throughout the half.
At the opposite end, it wasn’t until 8:26 remained prior to halftime that Benet goalie Hunter Randolph recorded a genuine save. Even then the junior keeper had no trouble essentially fielding a grounder. Wesley attributed much of that lack of pressure to the steady work of a backline featuring seniors Kyle Kohlsaat and Jonathan Mitra plus junior Thomas Miskin and sophomore Zach Serafin.
Kohlsaat in particular drew praise for both keeping the defense organized and cutting off any Warriors attacks as well as generating counterattacks.
Kohlsaat himself took part in such a charge as Benet was pressuring the Waubonsie net with a scramble that led to a 2-0 lead. That dual contribution on both ends earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match acclaim.
“Nick (Renfro) put a shot off the crossbar and all the keeper could do was push it a little and it became a set-up for me to blast it home,” Kohlsaat said. “The first goal made us pretty confident in what we were doing, but the second one was an extra boost to our assurance. It’s always a good feeling to also score and not just help us win with a defensive contribution.”
And what message does the senior think the 8-0 final tally may send to future opponents?
“That we’re a force to be reckoned with,” Kohlsaat said with a smile.
If the Renfro-to-Kohlsaat score with 7:31 left in the half was “an extra boost”, then the next two goals sent the Redwings into the stratosphere.
Trent “T.J.” McVey’s feed found Anthony Klos in the open to rip a 27-yarder just inside the right post with 4:41 left in the opening half. The invigorated Benet offense was back knocking on the door with 2:16 still remaining when C.J. Warren’s shot was blocked but followed with Klos making a hard-angle putback for his second strike and a 4-0 lead.
After the break, McVey earned a second assist finding Franklin Rutkowski in position for a proverbial 26-yard “cracker” just inside the right post. That goal at 54:46 was followed less than four minutes later by McVey scoring via a finishing rush after Warrior second half goalie Bryan Grimaldo had made a block on a Juan Pinto shot.
Both sides were able to virtually utilize their entire bench over the course of the second half, however, the additional hustle never diminished for the Redwings. Chandler Hart’s pass enabled Preston Wray to join the scoring list with a 15-yarder from the right side. That seventh goal invoked time off the clock, however, one more opportunity presented itself. Nolan Martini’s through-ball sprung McVey for what became a 1-v.-1 that completed the scoring.
“Just like last year things snowballed against us, it just became a ‘nothing can go wrong’ series for us in which different players were simply trying their best. We’ve got a lot of respect for Waubonsie and realize this was just a one-time aberration,” Wesley said.
“The good news is knowing that we not only can but will improve,” Garcia vowed in regard to the Warriors. “With any rebuild comes some painful lessons that require you to come back fighting harder. And we’ll do just that.”
That sentiment was echoed by senior tri-captain Ajay Buch, who was already thinking of Waubonsie’s next practice.
“Obviously this was a rough start and being so young, perhaps we didn’t anticipate how much rebuilding is needed,” Buch said. “We’ll start with an emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork in order to improve. This was just one game, and we’ve got another 15-plus to prove what we’re really capable of doing.”
Garcia did note some positives in the opener.
“I thought Nick (Glorioso) stepped up as a leader. He not only kept pushing himself but trying to motivate his teammates,” Garcia said. “(Sophomore goalie) Bryan (Grimaldo) proved to be a good addition. He made some good plays despite being in a no-win situation.”
Yet another challenge awaits Waubonsie Valley as the Warriors have a Thursday 6:30 p.m. visit with Oswego East, another team ranked in Chicagoland Soccer's preseason special mention group
Benet looks forward to its home debut on Thursday when the Redwings also host a Suouthwest Prairie Conference foe in Plainfield East.
Starting lineups
Benet
GK Hunter Randolph
D Thomas Miskin
D Zach Serafin
D Kyle Kohlsaat
D Jonathan Mitra
M Hans Haenicke
M Anthony Klos
M Nick Renfro
M Juan Pinto
F Chris Mankowski
F Michael Fernandes
Waubonsie Valley
GK Vincent Rullo
D Ryan Sanchez
D Jerry Perez
D Tyler Matthews
D Ryan Shea
M Ajay Buch
M Dan Morgan
M Noah Glorioso
M Daniel Fritz
M Diego Carrillo
F Milan Erastus-Obilo
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Kyle Kohlsaat, Benet, Sr., D
Referees: Dylan Kramer (center), Gene Mroz, Tony Martinez
Game summary
Benet 8, Waubonsie Valley 0
Benet 4 4 -- 8 1-0-0
Waubonsie Valley 0 0 -- 0 0-1-0
Scoring
First half
B – Mankowski 13-yarder from right of center (Renfro assist), 0:54 gone
B – Kohlsaat putback finish off a scramble (Renfro), 32:29 gone
B – Klos 27-yard rocket inside right post (McVey), 35:19 gone
B – Klos follow-up hard-angle curving putback inside right post (Warren), 37:14 gone
Second half
B – Rutkowski 26-yard laser inside right post (McVey), 54:46 gone
B – McVey finish off a blocked shot (Pinto), 58:22 gone
B – Wray breakaway off through-ball with 15-yard finish from right (Hart), 72:48 gone
B – McVey 9-yard strike from right 1-v.-1 with keeper (Martini), 74:18 gone
Shots
B 11 – 17 --- 28
WV 1 – 1 --- 2
Shots on goal
B 7 – 11 --- 18
WV 1 – 0 --- 1
Saves (goalie)
B (Randolph) 1 – 0 --- 1
WV (Rullo) 3 – (Grimaldo) 7 --- 10
Corner kicks
B 6 – 3 --- 9
WV 1 – 1 --- 2
Offsides
B 4 – 2 --- 6
WV 2 – 0 --- 2
Red Wings fly away with 8-0 win; green Warriors seek chemistry
By Steve Nemeth
AURORA -- Scoring in the first minute allowed Benet’s confidence to soar.
When the Redwings closed the half with a trio of goals their belief in a victory over Waubonsie Valley was virtually sky-high.
Unfortunately for the host Warriors, the fight was already long gone before the second half was shortened by four minutes in what became a surprising 8-0 rout.
What’s more surprising is that in a rivalry that once featured narrow margins has become a feast or famine scenario in recent years. Just last year the Warriors were 3-0 victors while 2016 saw Benet cruise to a 4-0 triumph after a comfortable 2-0 shutout in 2015. Back in 2014, Waubonsie slipped by in a 2-1 tussle as a follow-up to a 3-2 win in 2013 and a scoreless draw in 2012.
“Not too sure the outcome is really indicative of either team,” Benet coach Sean Wesley said. “Last year we got beat up pretty well, and the momentum went the wrong on us in a hurry. That was part of fairly horrendous start for us.”
Indeed Benet went from a 1-6-1 start to a share of the East Suburban Catholic Conference crown before a 2-1 Class 3A regional loss ended the year at 9-7-2. Most observers would believe the Redwings -- noted in the special mention section of the Chicagoland Soccer preseason poll -- looked like a team picking up right where it left off. And it was one with a chip on its shoulder.
“After weeks of preparation you’re never sure if come the actual opener, how aggressive you will be,” Wesley added. “I thought we dominated on 50-50 balls and created dangerous opportunities in the final third of the field. The question now is can we continue those traits.”
The answers needed for Waubonsie Valley may take longer as the Warriors face a rebuilding mode after an 11-member senior class from 2017 departed leaving nine starting slots vacant. Junior Nick Glorioso and goalie Vince Rullo were the only consistent starters returning.
Although this year’s 26-man roster lists nine seniors, a bulk of the other two-thirds are relative newcomers regardless where they fall among 11 juniors, five sophomores and one freshman.
“Tryouts two weeks ago were the first time many of the guys first played with several teammates, so clearly we’ve first got to find a good rhythm,” Waubonsie coach Jose Garcia admitted. “There were times things just didn’t mesh, and I get how frustrating that can be. But we can start by eliminating any bickering between ourselves.”
Who, what, where and why things broke down so quickly for the Warriors in yielding a quick goal was compounded throughout the match as Benet loaded the statistical categories. By the end of the match, everything pointed the Redwings’ way: 28-2 in overall attempts, 18-1 in shots on goal, 9-2 for corner kicks, and even 6-2 for offside whistles.
The ease or at least speed with which Benet took the lead surprised even Chris Mankowski.
“It all happened so quickly that at first I couldn’t believe, but the second I saw my teammates’ reactions it was the best feeling,” Mankowski said in regard to his 13-yard shot from the right half of the box. Co-captain Nick Renfro earned the assist for the goal that came just 54 seconds into the match.
“It was a great pass, and I noticed the keeper back-pedaling a little so I just put it low and to his left,” Mankowski added in recalling his first game-winning goal. Both of his goals during 2017 came in one-sided ESCC blowouts.
“We wanted to dominate on possession in order not to give them any chance to gain any confidence,” Mankowski noted.
Waubonsie Valley starting keeper Vince Rullo came back with several solid mid-air catches on either Redwings throw-ins or crosses as he was kept busy throughout the half.
At the opposite end, it wasn’t until 8:26 remained prior to halftime that Benet goalie Hunter Randolph recorded a genuine save. Even then the junior keeper had no trouble essentially fielding a grounder. Wesley attributed much of that lack of pressure to the steady work of a backline featuring seniors Kyle Kohlsaat and Jonathan Mitra plus junior Thomas Miskin and sophomore Zach Serafin.
Kohlsaat in particular drew praise for both keeping the defense organized and cutting off any Warriors attacks as well as generating counterattacks.
Kohlsaat himself took part in such a charge as Benet was pressuring the Waubonsie net with a scramble that led to a 2-0 lead. That dual contribution on both ends earned him Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match acclaim.
“Nick (Renfro) put a shot off the crossbar and all the keeper could do was push it a little and it became a set-up for me to blast it home,” Kohlsaat said. “The first goal made us pretty confident in what we were doing, but the second one was an extra boost to our assurance. It’s always a good feeling to also score and not just help us win with a defensive contribution.”
And what message does the senior think the 8-0 final tally may send to future opponents?
“That we’re a force to be reckoned with,” Kohlsaat said with a smile.
If the Renfro-to-Kohlsaat score with 7:31 left in the half was “an extra boost”, then the next two goals sent the Redwings into the stratosphere.
Trent “T.J.” McVey’s feed found Anthony Klos in the open to rip a 27-yarder just inside the right post with 4:41 left in the opening half. The invigorated Benet offense was back knocking on the door with 2:16 still remaining when C.J. Warren’s shot was blocked but followed with Klos making a hard-angle putback for his second strike and a 4-0 lead.
After the break, McVey earned a second assist finding Franklin Rutkowski in position for a proverbial 26-yard “cracker” just inside the right post. That goal at 54:46 was followed less than four minutes later by McVey scoring via a finishing rush after Warrior second half goalie Bryan Grimaldo had made a block on a Juan Pinto shot.
Both sides were able to virtually utilize their entire bench over the course of the second half, however, the additional hustle never diminished for the Redwings. Chandler Hart’s pass enabled Preston Wray to join the scoring list with a 15-yarder from the right side. That seventh goal invoked time off the clock, however, one more opportunity presented itself. Nolan Martini’s through-ball sprung McVey for what became a 1-v.-1 that completed the scoring.
“Just like last year things snowballed against us, it just became a ‘nothing can go wrong’ series for us in which different players were simply trying their best. We’ve got a lot of respect for Waubonsie and realize this was just a one-time aberration,” Wesley said.
“The good news is knowing that we not only can but will improve,” Garcia vowed in regard to the Warriors. “With any rebuild comes some painful lessons that require you to come back fighting harder. And we’ll do just that.”
That sentiment was echoed by senior tri-captain Ajay Buch, who was already thinking of Waubonsie’s next practice.
“Obviously this was a rough start and being so young, perhaps we didn’t anticipate how much rebuilding is needed,” Buch said. “We’ll start with an emphasis on fundamentals and teamwork in order to improve. This was just one game, and we’ve got another 15-plus to prove what we’re really capable of doing.”
Garcia did note some positives in the opener.
“I thought Nick (Glorioso) stepped up as a leader. He not only kept pushing himself but trying to motivate his teammates,” Garcia said. “(Sophomore goalie) Bryan (Grimaldo) proved to be a good addition. He made some good plays despite being in a no-win situation.”
Yet another challenge awaits Waubonsie Valley as the Warriors have a Thursday 6:30 p.m. visit with Oswego East, another team ranked in Chicagoland Soccer's preseason special mention group
Benet looks forward to its home debut on Thursday when the Redwings also host a Suouthwest Prairie Conference foe in Plainfield East.
Starting lineups
Benet
GK Hunter Randolph
D Thomas Miskin
D Zach Serafin
D Kyle Kohlsaat
D Jonathan Mitra
M Hans Haenicke
M Anthony Klos
M Nick Renfro
M Juan Pinto
F Chris Mankowski
F Michael Fernandes
Waubonsie Valley
GK Vincent Rullo
D Ryan Sanchez
D Jerry Perez
D Tyler Matthews
D Ryan Shea
M Ajay Buch
M Dan Morgan
M Noah Glorioso
M Daniel Fritz
M Diego Carrillo
F Milan Erastus-Obilo
Chicagoland Soccer Man of the Match: Kyle Kohlsaat, Benet, Sr., D
Referees: Dylan Kramer (center), Gene Mroz, Tony Martinez
Game summary
Benet 8, Waubonsie Valley 0
Benet 4 4 -- 8 1-0-0
Waubonsie Valley 0 0 -- 0 0-1-0
Scoring
First half
B – Mankowski 13-yarder from right of center (Renfro assist), 0:54 gone
B – Kohlsaat putback finish off a scramble (Renfro), 32:29 gone
B – Klos 27-yard rocket inside right post (McVey), 35:19 gone
B – Klos follow-up hard-angle curving putback inside right post (Warren), 37:14 gone
Second half
B – Rutkowski 26-yard laser inside right post (McVey), 54:46 gone
B – McVey finish off a blocked shot (Pinto), 58:22 gone
B – Wray breakaway off through-ball with 15-yard finish from right (Hart), 72:48 gone
B – McVey 9-yard strike from right 1-v.-1 with keeper (Martini), 74:18 gone
Shots
B 11 – 17 --- 28
WV 1 – 1 --- 2
Shots on goal
B 7 – 11 --- 18
WV 1 – 0 --- 1
Saves (goalie)
B (Randolph) 1 – 0 --- 1
WV (Rullo) 3 – (Grimaldo) 7 --- 10
Corner kicks
B 6 – 3 --- 9
WV 1 – 1 --- 2
Offsides
B 4 – 2 --- 6
WV 2 – 0 --- 2